This Is the First James Beard Award Winner with a Line of Marijuana Edibles

Marijuana edibles are set to reach new highs (pun intended) —one of America’s best-known pastry chefs announced today that she plans to get into the edibles game.

James Beard award-winner Mindy Segal, owner of Chicago’s Hot Chocolate Restaurant and recent author of the book Cookie Love, is set to become “the first high profile, award-winning chef to attach her personal brand to products in the cannabis industry,” according to a press release. She’s teaming up with Cresco Labs, billed as Illinois largest cannabis cultivator, to begin providing edibles to their state’s medical marijuana dispensaries. (The products will not be available to the general public as Illinois has yet to legalize recreational marijuana.)

Segal’s line of edibles is expected to hit Illinois pot store shelves in late February with an initial lineup of chocolate brittle bars, infused granola bites, an infused chocolate drink and a “ready-made mix.” From there Segal plans to expand these branded products to five other states from there.

“Having someone with Mindy's name brand and credibility enter the cannabis industry says a lot about where this industry is headed,” Cresco Labs founder Charles Bachtell, said in a statement. Yes, just think about the possibilities of elite food meeting elite pot: 17 course tasting menus, which, halfway through, everyone goes, “wait, what were we doing again?”